Ethan Gold

Ethan Gold is a brilliant singer-songwriter, producer and musician. He is in the New York City based band the Honey Brothers and is also in a band with his twin brother Ari called the Gold Brothers. And he is the producing mastermind behind Elvis Perkins' album "Ash Wednesday". Growing up Ethan's mother dated the famous music promoter Bill Graham (the man behind the Filmore West and East) and was tragically killed along side of Graham when his helicopter crashed in 1991. Ethan was gracious enough to take time out of his busy schedule to sit and chat about his music, his childhood and the state of music today. There was so much to talk about and hopefully this is just the first of many chats with Ethan.


AG: I read your bio and read how you came to produce "Ash Wednesday" and it really seems as if you have had an interesting upbringing filled with lots of colorful people. With Elvis and "Ash Wednesday" and from every interview that I read with him and just by listening to the album it seems as if the tragic deaths of his parents and his parents influence and upbringing seem to be central themes in his music. With your own music how much of your upbringing and your mother's influence do bring to your own songwriting process? Or is your songwriting process influenced by other things or is it a little bit of both?


EG: As with anyone, my upbringing affects my work just as it affects my personality. I don't think anyone generates their art in a vacuum. People react with or against their own experience. Sometimes the press or popular myth likes to pretend that an artist was born fully formed out of the belly of the land, but nothing comes from nothing. As to my mother's influence, I don't discount the possibility that she is with me in some way even now. I write a lot of songs in my sleep. Maybe that is my way of co-writing with the spirit realm

AG: Your mother dated Bill Graham and you write about when you were a kid seeing Ronnie James Dio era Black Sabbath, Peter Frampton and Cheap Trick etc. And as dorky as this sounds when I was twelve I looked at Pete Townshend and I knew I wanted to be doing what he was doing when I was a grown up! And sorry this is such a cliched question, but when you were a kid did you ever look at any of those guys and think to yourself that is what I wanna be doing when I grow up!?

EG: Of course I did, though I didn't allow myself to entertain the notion until quite late. I didn't have music lessons so I always felt behind the kids who knew how to sing and play piano and dance. I was out playing tackle football in the street or hiding somewhere. My music at that point was banging on a piano when nobody was around. I suppose that freed me up to write music long before anyone noticed that I seemed to be drawn to music. Maybe seeing those rockers early planted a seed, but the first concert I ever went to of my own accord was Depeche Mode, and the whole time I was thinking I should be on stage, not in the audience. I had an elaborate fantasy that one of them would be sick and they'd need someone to play keyboards, and I'd go on stage and do it. I think that happened to a Who fan once when Keith Moon was too drunk to play, Pete Townsend asked if there were any drummers in the audience and this kid was invited up and he nailed it. In my case, the fantasy involved sucking in my cheeks, looking morose, and playing keyboard parts that were probably prerecorded.

AG: Another question about your songwriting process, I'm assuming now your based out of New York City and you wrote about living in this dark apartment in LA that was full of mold and you were in a very dark place and were writing this very dark rock opera. Being in New York do you notice a difference in your mood and in your songwriting process?? Also do you notice a difference between the New York and LA music scenes?

EG: I actually mostly still live in LA. I consider myself an Earth resident.I'm not in the toxic apartment anymore, but I am still in a very cheap apartment, but it's clean. I'm finishing a record about the toxic apartment now. I go back and forth to New York. I play with a band the Honey Brothers there. I find LA to be an easier place to write, mostly because it's a city that gives nothing if you don't ask, where as New York gives and gives and takes whether you are asking or not. LA ignores you. So in LA I can hole up, and there's more space to receive energy. I love New York, I find it exhilarating and beautiful and endlessly mysterious and strangely comforting, like a human forest. But I write a whole lot more in LA. The songs just appear, like breathing. As to the scenes, LA has a lot more cheesy clubs than New York, but also a few more good clubs. It's a big megalopolis, the capital of the third world, if you know how to find its charms, which aren't the ones you see on celluloid. But in both places the cool kids can be just as annoying as the cheesy kids. A lot of very attractive hipsters are totally boring. I'd prefer to go to a Korean restaurant just so I don't have to hear the English language turned into something so bland.

AG: I know there will always be the popular stuff of the day that is sub pare that is always going to sell and appeal to both the soccer moms and the fifteen year old girls, now it seems as if that is Panic at the Disco and Fall Out Boy. It also seems now as if there is some really good music getting out into the mainstream i.e., the Amy Weinhouse record, The Cold War Kids record etc. Do you think that there is room for Ethan Gold and what he does in the mainstream along side of bands like Fall Out Boy??

EG: Well, that's something I try to figure out. I do believe in choruses, whicha lot of indie bands don't. Emo's not my thing at all, but I understand why those bands are popular. Actually before emo really became really popular I described myself as emo, because I make emotion music as opposed to party music. But obviously I'm not making emo as it means in the world now. But I do like to give people something to hold on to, that will stay in their heads. I don't mind game and pleasure in songwriting but I'm not interesting in listening to puzzles.I don't pretend to understand the music industry. Other than to say it's kind of tragic how much crap gets pushed on people, and always has. The industry is responsible for its own downfall. I hope things are getting better. At least they are getting more interesting.

AG: Which leads me to the last question.....how is Ethan Gold and his music going to change the world??

EG: That's a question that if I answer in any way is bound to make me look to a pretentious twat. But I can try anyway, if you promise not to edit that sentence. I also have some pro-life-on-planet-earth 'environmental' songs creeping in, but I don't like to preach. At least not in song form. If there is politics in my songs I put it in personal terms. Mostly how I change 'the world' is I accompany listeners on nights of terror. I am there with you. I have a lot of internal anguish from a difficult childhood, made more difficult by a sensitive and conflicted spirit, and I unfurl those coiled nightmares through my music and try to rebuild them into something healing. That's why sometimes they sound like lullabies, but they are for people who feel broken.

To hear Ethan's brilliant music for yourselves check out his myspace page, linked on the page are all the various musical projects he is involved with:

http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=8828937&MyToken=e7e93e7a-0617-408c-a85f-f22d27289467

Memories........

Yesterday I was very upset to learn that Mr. Wizard passed away. I can remember faithfully watching his show on Nickelodeon after school every day, I really hated school (dyslexic misfit long story for which I will save for the memoir) and I really hated science but he made me like learning about science. He was like your kindly, really cool and wise grandfather teaching you about science. After reading that obit about Mr. Wizard and having a conversation about "The Gong Show" and "Love Boat" with my roommate, it got me thinking about the shows that I used to watch when I was kid.

There was Mr. Wizard and "You Can't Do that on Television", "You Can't Do that on Television" was another favorite after school show of mine, I had the biggest crush on that kid Alasdair I was totally jealous of Alanis Morrisette (the most famous YCDTOT alumni) cause Alasdair had a crush on her! And I loved it when they were in the lockers and they told jokes it was like a kids version of "Laugh In" and then they got slimmed when they said I don't know. I remember each episode had a topic for instance in one episode they would do skits about personal hygiene or about foreign countries, and they had the same two adult actors play every adult role i.e. the mom, the dad, the cook, the teacher etc.


There was also "Double Dare", I never got into that and I can't remember if this show was on Nickelodeon or regular TV but does anyone remember the game show that was on saturday mornings called "I'm Telling"?? It was kinda like the "Newlywed Game" for kids but it was brothers and sisters, I remember being really mad cause it was only brothers and sisters who were able to go on that show and I had two sisters!

I also watched the "Love Boat" as a child. I can remember being dazzled by the stars that would guest on that show and I can remember thinking that life on that big boat with Julie, Gopher, Doc and Issac looked so glamours and foxy!! And don't laugh but I had a huge crush on Captain Stubing, it was more a daddy thing, schadenfreude on my part towards Vicky. I was envious of the fact that she got to live on that boat, didn't have to go to school, had a super cool dad and had a super hot bowl hair cut! I can recall one episode were Andy Warhol was a guest star and Marion Ross (aka Mrs. C from "Happy Days) was one of his superstars! I'm sure you can find that on youtube.com! That was the great thing about that show they would have people like Sir Lawrence Oliver and Bette Davis as guest stars and they would also have on people like Anson "Potsie" Williams and Charo on as guest stars in that same episode and Anson "Potsie" Williams would be playing Bette Davis' grandson and Charo would be playing Sir. Lawrence Oliver's love interest, that was the genuis of "The Love Boat"!!

It amazes me what I watched as a child!! The shows in the late 70's and 80's seemed so big and cliched, but yet so educational at the same time.

Last November

Last night, I went to Club Midway on Avenue B and had the distinct pleasure of hearing a great new band from Atlanta GA called Last November. Their sound is a unique blend of pop, punk and good old southern rock!! You can hear the influences of everyone from the Beatles to Nirvana to Lynyrd Skynard. The band is lead by a charismatic and charming young en' by the name of Luke who has a very rockin' strong voice and a strong stage presence, he is complemented by some really talented musicians, Tyler on bass, Taylor on drums and backing vocals, Chris on keys/guitars and vocals. Luke has graciously agreed to answer some of my questions and I will publish that interview within the next few days. Last November is on tour up and down the east coast at the moment, tonight they are in Asbury Park NJ at the Saint. Their myspace page is linked below so you can see were they are playing next and hear how good their music is for yourselves!http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=2414402

The Sopranos

Spoilers ahead

The ending of last nights episode really bugged me! Did the guy at the counter or the dudes who walked in before Meadow take Tony out?? They kept looking at Tony and Tony kept looking at them like something was gonna happen. When the TV faded to black did that mean that something bad happened to Tony, the look on his face when Meadow walked in was as if something bad was about to go down so did he get shot? Or does life go on as it normally does in the Soprano household? I guess David Chase is leaving it to us the viewers to decide what happens to Tony and his family. My roommate and I thought something was wrong with our HBO when the TV faded to black like that, HBO sometimes shows up on our boxes sometimes and other times it doesn't. The way Phil was killed was seriously gruesome, I had to cover my eyes, but I found it strangely funny that the one witness vomited. And what is going on with Tony's gun charge from the first episode this season?? There was just the one scene were he was talking about it with his lawyer and that was it. Then there was the issue of Patsy Jr. taking cases that would ruin Tony's business interests. And Paulie and Sil, is Sil a goner, does Paulie retire from mob life!? There was heavy symbolism in last nights episode, the whole thing with the creepy cat, Tony kept mentioning that the cat was catching rats in the basement and the cat kept staring at Christopher's picture did that mean that Christopher was a rat?! And when Tony first walked into the restaurant and the camera kept panning around and you saw that 70's looking teenage couple and the boyscout troop with the older man, was that supposed to be Tony at various times in his life when he was the most happiest?

And was that the one and only Donna Pescow playing Mrs. Parasi Sr.???

To tie up loose ends with the characters I thought of some ideas for Sopranos spin offs:


Paulie Walnuts retires from mob life to a small New England village were he runs the bait and tackle store with that creepy cat from last nights episode whose speaking voice only Paulie hears. Watch the hilarity that ensues between Paulie and that cat! Burt Reynolds voices the cat. And also watch for Tony, Sil and Vito's lover Jim stop by to visit Paulie!

Sil regains conscious and decides to renounce his former life as a made man and he becomes a made man of God, a priest who works with the cops to solve crimes and keep the young people out of trouble along with his spunky nun side kick, played by Melissa Gilbert. Stephen Baldwin plays Police Chief Lord and watch for a cameo from Willie Ames as the wise cracking janitor at the church!

Janice's son Harpo/Hal (played by Chad Michael Murray) finally comes to live with his mother, half sister, step brother and sister in Johnny Sack's old McMansion in New Jersey, a modern family for sure! Watch their antics!! Look for Carm, Tony, AJ, Patsy and Meadow to drop in! Matt Le Blanc reprises his Joey character....this time Joey is back from LA and is Janice's hunky boyfriend! Brian Atene plays wacky but wise next door neighbor Sam who gives Harpo/Hal advice through the back fence.

Meadow and Patsy Parasi Jr. marry and Patsy prosecutes his father and father in law in a bribe and fraud case and fearing the wrath of the family Meadow and Patsy join the witness protection program were they move to Ohio next door to a couple who has been married played by Brad Garett and Jolie Fisher who have been married for twenty years!

Carm divorces Tony and moves into one of her spec houses with Rosalie Aprielle only to find out that the house is haunted by the spirits of Adrianna, Ralphie, Christopher, Jackie Jr and Big Pussy. This time Adrianna is played by Tori Spelling, Ralphie by Antonio Sabato Jr. , Christopher by Sean William Scott, Jackie Jr. by Wilmer Valdarama and Big Pussy by Matthew Perry.

The Russian that never came out of the woods is found and becomes Rosie O' Donell's replacement on "The View".

I guess if it ended with Tony being taken out or arrested by the feds it would have been totally predicable!! And that is the genius of David Chase he doesn't wrap it up in a nice package! Plus he left everything wide open for a possible movie!

Yesterday I went back to Green-Wood Cemetery with my friend and guess what I forgot again....a camera! We went and explored the other side of the cemetery, we went up what is called Battle Hill which is a huge monument to all the people who fought in the various wars i.e. Revolutionary, Civil, World War 1, 2, Korean and Vietnam wars. There is the famous statue of Minerva with her arm extended at the top of the hill. When you sit at the top of this hill there is a beautiful view 360 view of the Manhattan. We didn't see any famous graves this time around, but what struck us both was there were about four huge fields which were called public lots and they had a variety of different tombstones, none as elaborate as some of the others in the cemetery. We thought maybe they may have been paupers graves or people who were moved by their families, it was really sad but interesting to look at some of these tombstones in these public fields. Next weekend a few friends of mine want to go and check out Green-Wood and this time I promise I will bring a camera to post some pictures!

Has anyone been reading up on these Al Gore/Live Earth Concerts?? From what I know is that they are supposed to be taking place at the same time all over the planet, one of the shows is supposed to be at the Meadowlands and one of my musical heroes Roger Waters is due to headline that show! There are about four people who I would want to see in these concerts one being Roger Waters, the others being Madonna, The Beastie Boys and The Smashing Pumpkins . The New York line up with the exception of Roger Waters and The Smashing Pumpkins sounds seriously hella lame! Bon Jovi, Kelly Clarkson (who I like, but I wouldn't spend money to see her live), Fall Out Boy, Melissa Ethridge, Akon (hopefully he won't throw Al Gore into the audience!), Ludacris and John Mayer. Heads will roll if Pete Wentz, John Mayer or Jon Bon Jovi do any Pink Floyd song with Roger or any Smashing Pumpkins song!!